What makes a 'classic' book?

Answer 1

A classic is a book that everybody talks about and nobody reads.

Answer 2

Time is the greatest indicator - if the novel last.
But why does one last? Well, here are some qualities:

Morality - a classic novel should say something of value, drawing attention to human problems, condemn or applaud certain points of view. it should make a statement that is more significant than the "Chocolate cake is the world's best dessert" kind of comment. But we don't have to agree with the authors statement, it just has to be there.
Effective language - the language used should be forceful, fresh and not hackneyed, and suitable to the purposes of the statement/message.
Truthfulness - Is the work credible? Does the author make us believe what is being said? Such a standard cannot, of course, be applied literally. We do not believe in the literal truth of Gulliver's Travels or Candide, but we understand that the authors are using fantasy and exaggeration to communicate basic truths about humanity. Moreover, a good novel, story, or drama should give us the feeling that what happened to the characters was inevitable; that, given their temperaments and the situation in which they were placed, the outcome could not have been otherwise. Everything we know about Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman, for instance, makes his suicide inevitable. A different ending would have been disappointing and untrue.
Universality - Regardless of when it was written, the work should hold meaning still in the western world, and should still hold that meaning in the future. Huckleberry Finn, for example, although it has been called the first truly American novel, deals with a universal theme, the loss of innocence.
Timelessness - The work should be of lasting interest. The comments the author makes about people, about the pressure, rewards, and problems of life should still be relevant. The theme of the work should be as pertinent now as it was at the time it was written.
Characters: The book is peopled by interesting , vital characters who engage our sympathy (or dislike) and make us want to know more about them.

Answer 3

A book that:

1. is good. Obviously, this is subjective, but a really good book is well written and has a good plot.

2. Deals with universal issues, such as love or triumph over adversity.

3. has had a run of luck. Meaning that it is sometimes luck that causes a good book to become a classic. There are so many books that have the makings of a classic but are not classified as one because not enough people have read and loved it or other seemingly minor differences.

Answer 4

I've thought of this myself many times. I set out to read the top 100 best fiction, but determining whose interpretation of what the top 100, or best would be is certainly up for debate.

I believe that in reading many of the "classics" that indeed in my opinion are not necessarily the best written or the best "reads" but just that they have been around the longest. This would include the "given" that they have been interpreted and reinterpreted exponentially and the very fact that they have gives them some type of place in the annals of literature.

Now the rate of release of new books and the overall audience reading them far exceeds that of the past centuries. Arguably, some of the "best literature" is some of the newest. But your question, what makes it a classic? It would inevitably have to boil down to standing the test of time and making the lists of "MUST reads" over and over both in school and for pleasure. Are they the "best", I would argue not necessarily.

Answer 5

A book that makes you feel good inside and arouses strong feelings. Like listening to classical music. It's when you can somehow feel (or in this case, read) the level of creativity of an author in it's full potential.

Answer 6

i like a book that is evident that the author poured his/her heart out to write it, not just a money grab. it should also have some pretty good quotes, ones that you could put in an essay or speech. also, a classic book needs to be somewhat old. im not talking LOTR old, but old enough that its been read by a large group of people.

Answer 7

It seems as if the author should be dead - judging by any of the 'classics' that quickly come to mind: "Oliver Twist", as one example of a 'classic'. Another way to get a leg-up on becoming author of a classic is to be a dead European writer.

Answer 8

A classic is one that stands the passage of time and attempts to answer questions mankind has been asking since the beginning of time. It addresses the ontological questions such as "Why do I exist?", "What is my purpose in life?", "Is there a God?", and "What is love?" etc. The writing structure itself must have redeeming qualities also.

Answer 9

a beautiful written book like little women, Heidi, or moby dick ,they are all classics cause they have been written straight from heart

Answer 10

a classic author. you know the type greying hair old and crunchy at the edges.